Average White Band
Funk / R&B
| Fri, May 28 | Fri, May 28 |
| 7:30pm | 9:30pm |
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One of the most popular funk acts between 1974 and 1980, the Average White Band is responsible for hits like “Pick Up The Pieces” and “Cut The Cake.” The band’s real legacy came in the following decades when they became one of the most sampled acts around. In fact, one wall of the band’s studio is lined with CDs of other artists who’ve sampled the AWB.
- The band got its big break in 1973 opening for Eric Clapton.
- The AWB once recorded a hit album, “Benny And Us,” with 60s soul legend Ben E. King of “Stand By Me” fame.
- Artists who have sampled AWB include TLC, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys and Janet Jackson.
“The Average White Band’s derivative but convincing funk crossed the Atlantic and the color line, heralding the arrival of disco in the mid-’70s.” -Rolling Stone
